Base structure



SePt- 8,19425 A. c. GRuNwALD 2 2,295,281

BASE STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 1, 1959 ,2' sheets-sheet 1 Sept- 8,1942- A. c.`sRuNwgLD i 2,295,281.'-

BAsE STRUCTURE Filed Nov'. 1. 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Sept. 8,1942 entre; sr.

tied.-

ENT OFFCE.

BASE STRUCTURE Albert C. Grunwald, River Forest, Ill., assignor toPrecision Metall/Yorkers, Chcago.Ill., a corporation of Illinois 7Claims..

The present invention. relates to anovel form of, base structure forarticles` oi furniture suchi for example, as chairs, typewriter stands,drawing boards, etc.

The general aim of the invention. is to provide a base of the type set,forth which, though eX- tremely rugged and sturdy in construction, islow incest by virtue of both the simplicity. of its pants, an-d the easewith which it.. may be assembled during manufacture.

A more specific object is to provide such a base embodying tubularinf-:talY supporting legs, toglher. with a novel formV of headstructure, rigidly and' firmly securing. together the legs, forattachment of the assembly to a vertically adjllslable standard.

Further` objects and advantages of the inven.- tilonwillV becomeapparent as the following descriptionproceedataken in connection withthe accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side View of a supporting base embodying the features ofmy invention..

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan. View ofthe base.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom View O fthe base.

Figui' is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially along, the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional View takensubstantially along the line 51-5 in Fig. 3.

Fig.` 6` is a fragmentary side elevational View of a modied'fcrm of thebase;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary bottom View of the construction shownin Fig. 6.

8 is a View oi a second modied form partially in side elevation andpartially in vertical section.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary bcttomview of the form shown-,in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is aview of a third modified formpar tially side elevation andpartially in vertical section.

While the, invention is susceptible ofv various modifications andalternative constructions, I haveshown in the drawings and will herein,describe in detail thev preferred embodiment, but it isteY be understoodthat I do` not thereby in tendv to limit the invention to the specificform disclosed; but intend to cover all modifications and' alternativeconstructions falling within the spirt'and scope ofthe invention as'yexpressedin the appended. claims. y Y

Referring more particularly tor the drawings,

a base structure has been shown in Fig. 1 which is particularly suitedfor use on an oice chair, though those skilled in the art willappreciate that supporting bases embodying the invention may be utilizedin a Variety of other articles of furniture. This particular basestructure comprises a head, designated generally as Ii), which is.preferably kformed as a metal casting. The head includes an uprightsleeve portion I I having a central axial bore I2 (Fig. 4) in which isslidably received a vertically adjustable standard I3, and to the upperend ofwhich may, for example, be attached a suitable chair seat (notshown). To guide the standard I3 for vertical` adjusting movement, aVlongitudinal spline groove I4 is formed in it to receive a spline screwI5 threaded inthe sleeve II (Figs. 2 and 3).

Asa means of holding the standard I3 at various points of stepbystepvertical adjustment, a spring biased plunger I6 is utilized (Fig. 5).This plunger is slidably mounted in a bushing Il, threaded in the sideof the sleeve I I, and the enlarged head I8 of the plunger is receivedin any selected one of a series of corresponding recesses I9 spacedlongitudinally along the standard. A helical compression spring 20 urgesthe plunger' inwardly into its engaged position. To disengage theplunger for readjustment of the standard position, the operator graspsan outer disk shaped head ZI on the plunger andV pulls the plungeroutward to disengage the head I8 from the registering recess I9. Thenthe user may slide the standard I3 axially until the desiredposition ofadjustment is reached, whereupon the plunger I6 is released so that itsnaps back into engagement with the recess which has been brought intoregistry withlt.

In accordance with one'aspect of the present invention. a novelarrangement has beenv provided for rigidly attaching to the head I@ aseries (herein shown as fourin number) of tubular steel legs 22.. Theselegs have been shown in Fig. 1 as being of a substantially invertedL-shape with horizontal portions extending laterally from the head I0 indirections radial of the axis for the standard I3. To the dependinglower ends of these legs 22 are securedthe usual casters Z3.

In the instant embodimentv themeans for at.- taching the legs 22 to thehead Ill comprises two downwardly extending annular ribs E4 and 25formed integrally on the bottom cf the head casting (Figs. 3, 4 and 5).The lower portion of the head is of an inverted cup shapeA` with theside wallsof the-cup constituting theouter.- peripheral rib 24'. Theinner rib 25 is spaced from the outer rib, and both ribs aresubstantially concentric with the sleeve bore I 2. Registering pairs ofapertures 26, 2'I (Fig. i) are formed in the respective ribs, and theinner end portions of the legs 22 project through and are snugly fittedin these apertures. The head thus formed grips each leg at two spacedpoints so as to insure a rm rigid engagement with it.

To complete the connection of the legs to the head, rivets 28 are usedto connect the ends of the legs to the inner rib 25. These rivets arereceived in registering holes formed respectively in the lower edgeportions of the rib and the inner end portions of the legs. Since thelegs project into a central chamber defined by the inner rib 25, whichis open at its bottom, they are readily accessible for insertion of therivets, while at the same time the latter are efectually hidden fromview.

In Fig. 6 a modified form of head, designated generally as Illa, hasbeen shown which may be used to replace the head I6 inthe base ofFig. 1. As before, this head includes a vertical sleeve portion IIahaving a central bore I2a in which is received the vertical standard I3.Also as before, a pair of generally concentric integral annular ribs areprovided on the bottom of the head casting to receive the tubular metallegs 22. In the present instance, however, the outer rib isdiscontinuous, rather than continuous in form, being made up of a seriesof scallops or projections 30 around the periphery of a tapered oroutwardly flared projection 3| on the head. As before, this outer rib isprovided with apertures 26 to receive the legs 22. The apertures 32 inthe inner rib, however, do not extend entirely through the latter, butinstead are fashioned in the form of dead-end recesses which receive andclc-se the inner ends of the tubular legs. The inner rib, in fact,constitutes a lower end extension of the sleeve I Ia with generallyrectangular integral bosses 3l on it and in which the recesses orapertures 32 are fashioned to receive the ends of the legs 22.

In the construction of Figs. 6 and '7 a plunger mechanism, identicalwith that heretofore described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5,inclusive, is provided and the same reference numerals are used toindicate the identical parts. In the present instance, however, thismechanism is located beneath and substantially hidden by the cup shapedlower portion of the head Illa. Since the outer peripheral rib is, inthis case, discontinuous, access to the plunger operating head 2I isafforded by locating the latter in registry with one of the openingsbetween a pair of the scallops 30 (Fig. 6). By virtue of theconstruction described the tubular legs 22 are held firmly in positionand, at the same time, the head IaL is given a pleasing appearance,particularly by hiding from view the projecting plunger type adjustmentmechanism.

In the second modified form of head IIlb, shown in Figs. 8 and 9, boththe inner and outer depending ribs on the head are discontinuous inform. In this case the head comprises a vertical sleeve portion Ilbhaving a central axial bore I2b in which is received the standard I3.Integral with the lower end of this sleeve is an extension 33 ofgenerally inverted cup shaped form. The discontinuous side wall of thiscup shaped extension comprises a series of pairs of fingers 34 definingbetween them apertures in which are received the tubular legs 22.

In assembling the base of Figs. 8 and 9, the

fingers 34 are initially shaped to project downward as indicated indot-dash lines in Fig. 8. Then, when the legs are in place the ngers arebent inward toward each other to clench or grip the legs.

The discontinuous inner rib comprises, in this instance, an annularlyarranged series of U- shaped bosses or pads 35 (Fig. 8) having theirfaces arcuately recessed or, in other words, apertured, to embrace thetops of the inner ends of the legs 22. These legs are desirably cut awayas indicated at 22a so as to afford access to rivets 36. These rivetspass through registering holes in the bosses 35 and the sides of thelegs 22 so as to hold the legs rigidly in position.

As in the case of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, thestandard I3 is held in any selected position of axial adjustment by aplunger mechanism (Fig. 9) located on the side of the sleeve I Ib. Thisplunger mechanism is identical with that heretofore described.

' The fourth form of head IUC, shown in Fig. 10 is somewhat more compactthan the other three in that a major portion of the vertical sleeve IIis located within the integral and downwardly facing cup shapedextension 37, which is formed on it. The side walls of this extensionform a continuous annular rib 38 apertured as indicated at 39 to receivetubular legs 40. These legs are generally like the legs 22 heretoforeshown and described except that their top portions are inclined upwardlyat a slight angle instead of being exactly horizontal. As in the case ofthe construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the inner rib for receiving theends of the legs comprises bosses 4I formed on the sides of the lowerportion of the sleeve IIC. In these bosses are formed apertures ordead-end recesses 42 into which the ends of the legs 40 project. As inthe other constructions, the standard I3 is held in its selectedposition of vertical adjustment by a plunger mechanism arranged in theside of the sleeve IIc and of the form heretofore set forth.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a base for an article of furniture, the combination of a headcasting having a vertical bore therein adapted to receive an axiallyadjustable standard, a plurality of depending generally annular ribs onthe lower end of said head substantially concentric with said bore, saidribs having a plurality of sets of registering apertures therein, andtubular legs extending outwardly and downwardly from said head, each ofsaid legs having a portion thereof received in a pair of registeringapertures in the respective ribs and snugly fitted therein.

2. In a base for an article of furniture, the combination of a pluralityof tubular metal legs each being of substantially inverted L-shapedconfiguration, a central cast metal head, the generally horizontalportions of the legs projecting in to said head, said head having anupright hollow sleeve portion to receive a vertical standard and anintegral downwardly facing portion of inverted cup shape at the lowerend of the sleeve, said cup portion having an integral annular rib inits interior spaced from the cup side Wall and concentric therewith,whereby the rib and cup side wall form a pair of depending concentricribs on the bottom of the head, said concentric ribs having registeringapertures therein through which the inner end portions of the legsproject, and rivets for fixing said legs to at least one of said ribs.

3. In a base for an article of furniture, the

combination of a head having a vertical sleeve portion adapted to betelescoped on the lower end of a vertical standard, a downwardlyprojecting integral rib on the lower end of said head, said rib havingapertures therein at points spaced circumferentially about it, tubularlegs projecting outwardly and downwardly from said head with portionsthereof extending through said apertures, said legs and the edgeportions of said rib adjacent said apertures having registering holestherein, and fastening means in said holes to hold the legs in place.

4. In a base for an article of furniture a plurality of tubular metallegs arranged to project generally radially from a central point, a headlocated at the center of the group of legs and defining a centralchamber open at the bottom bordered by a generally vertical dependingside wall, said side wall being apertured at spaced points about thechamber to receive the inner end portions of the legs projected throughsaid apertures into said chamber, said depending side wall having holestherein leading from the lower edge thereof to the apertures therein,said legs having holes therein registering with the first named holes,and fastening means in said registering holes holding the legs in placeon the head.

5. In a base for an article of furniture, the combination of a castmetal head including a vertical sleeve portion and an inverted cupshaped portion, said cup shaped portion having therein an integralinteriorly located rib made up of a series of annularly arranged bossespresenting downwardly facing arcuate surfaces, the outer side wall ofsaid cup shaped portion being apertured at spaced points registeringwith said bosses, tubular metal legs extending outward from the head andhaving inner end portions projecting through said apertures and lyingagainst the complemental arcuate surfaces on said bosses, and rivetsthrough said bosses and the contacting portions of the legs for xing thelegs to the head.

6. In a base of the type described the combination of a central headhaving a vertical bore therein to receive a standard, said head having adownwardly facing inverted cup shaped portion at its lower end, aplunger, means supporting said plunger within the connes of said cupshaped portion for movement into and out of said bore to engagereleasably a vertically adjustable standard inserted in the bore, theside wall of said cup being interrupted to expose the outer end of saidplunger, said side wall being apertured at spaced points, and aplurality of tubular metal legs projecting from said head with theirinner end portions snugly fitted in said apertures.

7. In a supporting base of the type described the combination of a metalhead member of inverted cup shape, a vertical sleeve rigid with saidmember to receive a standard, said member having a discontinuous sidewall fashioned in the form of a plurality of downwardly facing pairs offingers, a plurality of tubular metal legs eX- tending outwardly fromsaid head member at spaced points about it, and the inner end portionsof said legs being arranged between corresponding pairs of fingers withthe latter clenched about the legs.

ALBERT C. GRUNWALD.

